It is known that whatever their kind and origin, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, that are not readily water soluble, have relatively limited bioavailability. Many factors are recognized in the art as limiting bioavailability including relatively limited membrane fluidity, solubility, unstable dispersions or emulsions. Additionally the presence of competing non-actives for the same enzymatic functionality, such as Omega-6 versus Omega-3. Mammals cannot interconvert the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and their metabolism requires the same desaturation enzymes.
Their presence in food is of great importance since they cannot be synthesized by human and animal tissues and should thereby be provided with the diet. In tissues these essential fatty acids are converted to longer and more unsaturated fatty acids of the Omega-6 and Omega-3 families, such as arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic (DHA), which are present in marine oils (fish, microalgae) in relatively high amounts. The health benefits of linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, AA, EPA and DHA are well documented in the literature. These benefits include hypolipidemic, anti-thrombotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. They are also essential fats for growth, brain function, and visual acuity, especially for infants. Omega-3's are further recognized for their positive impact on psychiatric, brain, and neurologic conditions.
Many products ranging from functional foods and confectioneries to nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals are emulsions or may be made into emulsions. An emulsion is a colloidal dispersion of two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water, in the form of droplets. If oil droplets are finely dispersed in water, then this is an oil-in-water or “O/W” emulsion. When water droplets are finely dispersed in oil, then this is a water-in-oil or “W/O” emulsion. O/W and W/O emulsions play a prominent role in the preparation of a wide range of products including foods, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics. It would be thus desirable to provide enhanced bioavailability compositions formed from natural ingredients and methods to effectively increase efficacy within highly polyunsaturated oils in O/W and W/O emulsions.